Teams

March 07, 2009

It''s a simple axiom but its true. You get what you ask for. If you ask for help, you usually get it. If you ask someone to do something, they usually will. If that be the case, then why do people not follow up and follow through? Generally it is because you get exactly what you want. You want compliance? That's what you'll get--and no more.

In the last post we said, "Effective leadership is a careful balance between coaching, mentoring and managing. The proportions vary based on risk consequences and the emotional and skill maturity of those who are a part of your team. The art of leadership is more about knowing the answers to key questions than it is simply possessing knowledge. So, if you know the measure of a leader what is your answer to what you expect of your team? In other words, What do you want from your team and your staff? What do you really want?"

We also saw a rich young ruler listening to Jesus teaching about how a child-like faith is how you enter the Kingdom of God. The interaction between Jesus and the young man apparently didn't go well. We know that because he walked away.

When we work with a team we can project through words and deeds several levels of performance expectation. They can be compliance, achievement, innovation, creativity, empowerment or legacy. What level do you want? Let's look at compliance first.

Level 1 - Compliance

Several years ago I had the opportunity to conduct team building sessions for an aluminum plant in rural West Virginia. Because of serious work relationship problems between hourly and management employees, the plant had been shut down by a strike for over 18 months. One of the precipitating factors angering hourly employees was the legendary hourly worker orientation session. Though discontinued by the time I arrived to do team building, the sting of its humiliating effect still resonated through the plant. For new hires the “welcome aboard” meeting went something like this: “Boy (This wasn’t a racial slur—all West Virginian hourly workers were called “boy.”), Welcome aboard. I just want you to know we hired you from the neck down. If there is anything needing done differently from what we’ve told you to do, that’s what we’ve got engineers for. Now get to work.” That is transactional leadership and transactional compliance* at its worst.

Yet, how much of our correcting time is spent on issues like attendance, timeliness and attitude, and how often are we satisfied when there is compliance? This is not to say that showing up for work and ministry isn’t important. And, of course, meeting deadlines and having a positive attitude is a good thing. But, if that’s all that’s expected—be on time, complete your assignment on time and smile—then it’s all about a marginally effective manager responsible for a marginally effective ministry worker who needs multiple areas of assistance. There’s got to be more to excellence than just compliance.

The rich young ruler looking at the children and feeling perhaps perplexed, envious or confused asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He had been indoctrinated into salvation through works and he knew he was on a frustrating race where the goal kept getting further and further away and perhaps he was irritated that Jesus made it so easy. What Jesus said was, it’s not about compliance, it’s about innocence.

How many times, as a leader have you thought, "If only my team would do what I asked them to do." Then what? If your team did all that you asked them to do but no more would you be satisfied? Probably. Would the ministry thrive? Probably not. The rich young ruler felt a gnawing sense that compliance was not only not enough, it was also impossible to achieve. No doubt you have experienced the same. Trying to be perfect is not all it's cracked up to be. People fall short, make mistakes, and sometimes screw up royally. That's how we learn and get better and become excellent. Not by merely being satisfied with compliance but by stretching, taking risks, learning by trial and dreaming big. When we set our expectations at the lowest rung, that's what we get. Oh, we may talk about vision and excellence and striving for the best we can be but if, in the end, what we focus on and reward is merely compliance then compliance is merely what we get. Make no mistake, compliance is important but it is the beginning of great work, not the end point. Compliance isn't for dreamers.